Spring ISD teachers anticipate delivery of laptops, Chromebooks

Jasmine Davis

October 16, 2017Updated: October 16, 2017 8:00am

Spring ISD is increasing the number of Chromebooks available in schools and making other technology upgrades, district officials said in fall 2017. In this file photo, eighth graders in the neighboring Splendora school district use Chromebooks from a cart to complete a social studies assignment.

Spring ISD is increasing the number of Chromebooks available in...

Teachers at Spring ISD's Roberson Middle School received a shipment of new laptops Monday, and classrooms throughout the district are set to undergo similar technology upgrades as part of a district-wide initiative.

New laptops will be delivered to teachers at most schools by the end of October — and nearly 6,000 Chromebooks will be provided for student use across the district's elementary schools — as part of the initiative to ensure students and educators are able to run the latest Windows operating system and software, according to a Spring ISD news release.

"The one I had before, it was slow, but I hope everything works better and faster with this one," said Jennifer Ogunsanya, who teaches eighth-grade language arts at Roberson Middle School, according to the news release. "This helps a lot. It helps with instruction; it speeds things up and helps us connect with the kids."

According to the release, computers currently in use throughout the district are on average seven years old, bulky and slow compared to newer models. Chief Operations Officer Mark Miranda, who oversees Spring ISD's technology department, said the district is working with Dell to distribute the laptops quickly.

Teachers aren't the only ones receiving an upgrade. As part of a 2016 bond program, 182 carts with 32 Chromebooks each will be delivered for student use to all district elementary schools. According to the release, the Chromebooks offer opportunities for student engagement and connectivity at a value.